The Phoenix Raceway garage was buzzing this weekend with rumors that Carl Edwards would be back racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series garage next year, but Edwards says he has no plans to return.

Edwards announced in January that he would leave Joe Gibbs Racing to pursue interests outside of racing.

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In a text exchange Saturday afternoon with FoxSports Tom Jensen, Edwards wrote, "Like I said at the press conference, I had no racing plans then and do not now. There is no hidden agenda - those three reasons are it."

During his January press conference at JGR, Edwards said there were three reasons he was leaving the cockpit: 1. He's satisfied with his career. 2. He wants to devote time to the people in his life. And 3. He wants to stay healthy.

Rumors were flying at Phoenix that Edwards would back in the sport with one of several top NASCAR teams in 2018, but he said that wasn't true. "No plans," Edwards reiterated.